Carmen Uscatu, Co-President and Founder of Give Life, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Why should you invest the time and effort when your plate is already full?
We often assume that because we see the full picture in our minds, others must see it too. But I realized this week that isn’t true. That’s why I take every opportunity to explain what I do and why.
I also invest my time in international collaboration alongside Prinses Máxima Centrum voor kinderoncologie and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for better health outcomes for patients. Here, and everywhere.
That’s why, last year, I began supporting people abroad who can benefit from the knowledge I’ve gained over the past 15 years – through projects developed at Dăruiește Viață and insights from my Master’s in Global Child Health over the last three years. I started collaborating internationally, helping people establish NGOs or strengthen their strategic skills, and supporting medical teams in accessing scholarships offered by St. Jude and The Maxima, as well as tapping into the expertise of leading professionals.
It is within my power to advocate for better care for children with cancer in Europe. Why? Because people – authorities, medical staff – look up to those who have already delivered meaningful projects in their own country. I carry not only a track record of what has been achieved, but a vision for the future: creating comprehensive centers for children with cancer where parents don’t feel unlucky just because their child is sick, but especially because their child is sick in Romania or other Eastern European countries.
You might ask: how do children in our country benefit from this collaboration?
I know how individualistic we can be – it’s a question I’ve asked myself, too. And my answer is simple: our children already benefit. Molecular tests are conducted at Prinses Máxima Centrum voor kinderoncologie, doctors are trained there and at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, our medical teams participate in international tumor boards and twinning programs, and patients receive treatments there that aren’t available here – like rib bone replacement, a spectacular surgery in which one of our surgeons took part. Having this broader perspective helps us design programs where everyone benefits – such as research, where progress accelerates with more children participating.
It’s a blend of confidence and humility. Confidence gives you the power to act, while humility drives you to improve, stay curious, and keep learning.
What I did and do at Dăruiește Viață already filled my plate. But the need to create real impact beyond just constructing and equipping a building inspired me to take on this international work. Because a hospital is so much more than a building.
Spending time on these efforts has given me meaning. I get to see medical staff grow, hope fill parents’ hearts, and smiles light up children’s faces.”
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